ge the
summons. First, he would not heart it, and faced his companions down,
that it was the echo of the wind; then he said it was not worth stopping
for; and, at length, halting reluctantly, as the figure of the horseman
appeared through the shades of the evening, he bent up his whole soul
to the task of defending his prey, threw himself into an attitude of
dignity, advanced the spit, which is his grasp might with its burden
seem both spear and shield, and firmly resolved to die rather than
surrender it.

What was his astonishment, when the cooper's foreman, riding up and
addressing him with respect, told him: "His master was very sorry he was
absent when he came to his dwelling, and grieved that he could not tarry
the christening dinner; and that he had taen the freedom to send a sma'
runlet of sack, and ane anker of brandy, as he understood there were
guests at the castle, and that they were short of preparation."

I have heard somewhere a story of an elderly gentleman who was pursued
by a bear that had gotten loose from its muzzle, until completely
exhausted. In a fit of desperation, he faced round upon Bruin and lifted
his cane; at the sight of which the instinct of discipline prevailed,
and the animal, instead of tearing him to pieces, rose up upon his
hind-legs and instantly began to shuffle a saraband. Not less than the
joyful surprise of the senior, who had supposed himself in the extremity
of peril from which he was thus unexpectedly relieved, was that of our
excellent friend Caleb, when he found the pursuer intended to add to
his prize, instead of bereaving him of it. He recovered his latitude,
however, instantly, so soon as the foreman, stooping from his nag, where
he sate perched betwixt the two barrels, whispered in his ear: "If
ony thing about Peter Puncheon's place could be airted their way, John
[Gibbie] Girder wad mak it better to the Master of Ravenswood than
a pair of new gloves; and that he wad be blythe to speak wi' Maister
Balderstone on that head, and he wad find him as pliant as a hoop-willow
in a' that he could wish of him."

Caleb heard all this without rendering any answer, except that of all
great men from Louis XIV. downwards, namely, "We will see about it"; and
then added aloud, for the edification of Mr. Lockhard: "Your master has
acted with becoming civility and attention in forwarding the liquors,
and I will not fail to represent it properly to my Lord Ravenswood. And,
my lad," he sa